BURGHILL Valley youngsters Kris Jones and Robert Haines won coveted places in the exclusive 2004 Faldo Series when they secured two of the four qualifying places on offer at the launch event of the International Junior Pairs at Burhill Golf Club, Surrey.

Sixteen-year-old four-handicapper Jones produced the second best gross score of 74 to clinch one of the two gross places.

His 14-year-old club colleague Haines, who plays off nine, fought his way through a nail-biting play-off to book his place at the second extra hole after tying for second place in the handicap section with a nett 71.

At the first extra hole, a daunting par-three played across water, Haines missed a short putt for victory, but his despair turned to elation minutes later when he slotted a 15-footer for a birdie two at the same hole.

Both Jones and Haines will now join the best young junior golfers in Great Britain in playing a series of prestigious junior events sponsored by international golfer Nick Faldo, hoping to secure enough points to book a place in the grand final.

The other competitors will be balloted out by handicap with the standard expected to be of the highest quality.

Jack Larkin and Mark Keddie, Herefordshire's other two junior representatives from the Municipal Club, gave a good account of themselves to finish sixth and 26th respectively, with Larkin posting a nett 72 and Keddie a nett 78.

6The vagaries of golf - 14-year-old Robert Haines misses a short putt for victory, but then celebrates a birdie putt to clinch a prestigious win.